


A Home For Christmas

by staticxdesire



Category: The 100 (TV), The 100 Series - Kass Morgan
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Clarke Griffin is a mom, F/M, Modern AU, Oneshot, Protective Bellamy Blake, bellarke AU, bellarke christmas, roan is an asshole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:28:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27846890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/staticxdesire/pseuds/staticxdesire
Summary: Clarke is down on her luck, and alone with her twin daughters on Christmas Eve. She ends up at Bellamy's Penthouse, and he gives her and the twins a Christmas to remember.
Relationships: Bellamy Blake/Clarke Griffin
Comments: 5
Kudos: 66





	A Home For Christmas

Snow fell to the ground slowly creating a blanket of white on the once green grass. Clarke sighed as she watched out the front of the cafe window. As magical as snow once been to her, today it was a reminder of her stark reality. The colder weather was going to make it harder to keep living the way she was. Not that she chose to be evicted a week ago, or that she chose to get fired, or chose for her daughters to get sick. 

Everything happened at once, and now Mother Nature decided it needed to snow. Of course, everyone else in this city would be ecstatic, it was Christmas Eve after all. 

“Can we play?” Two-year-old Atlas looked up at her mom. Her half of the meal completely gone without a trace. “Momma?”

Clarke looked at her daughters and smiled. “For a minute, but we can’t stay long.”

“Okay!” Atlas stood up and grabbed her twin sister, Nova’s, hand. The girls couldn’t be more opposite from each other. Atlas had dark brown hair that fell in waves around her face. Her hazel eyes were the most unique thing Clarke had ever seen. Nova had blonde hair that was only slightly wavy, and her bright blue eyes matched Clarke’s own. The one thing the girls did have in common was how smart, and thankfully well behaved they were for two-year-olds. 

Watching the girls run off to the small play area that was less than 10 feet away, Clarke sipped on her latte and picked at the food Nova had left on her plate. She thought about her next move for today, and ultimately where she would crash tonight. 

“Clarke?” A voice came from behind and dragged Clarke from her thoughts. She snapped out of it and turned to see an old friend standing there. “I thought that was you!”

“Octavia,” Clarke smiled. She hasn’t seen Octavia since they were in high school. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been great. Traveling the world and all.” Octavia sat down in the chair across from Clarke. “Lincoln and I got married in Greece last summer.”

“Wow, congrats.”

Octavia grinned showing her ring off to Clarke. 

“Momma?” Atlas came over crying. “The boy said San’as not real.”

Clarke pulled Atlas onto her lap and snuggled her daughter close, she realized how warm the child felt, but pushed the thought back for now. The little girl eyed Octavia curiously, before sticking her thumb into her mouth. 

“You have a daughter?” Octavia asked shocked. 

“Twins, actually.” Clarke pointed over to where Nova sat at the top of the slide in the play area. The little boy Atlas must have been referring to was coloring with markers at a plastic picnic table. “That’s Nova over there, and this is Atlas.”

“They are adorable, Clarke.” Octavia smiled. 

“Thanks,” Clarke laughed. “I seem to think so.”

Octavia shifted in her seat and took a sip of her coffee. “I’d love to stay and chat longer, but I’m meeting my brother in 20 minutes for some last-minute shopping. You and the girls should stop by my brother’s penthouse around 6:00 pm tonight for some fun.”

“It’s Christmas Eve,” Clarke said as if that explained anything. 

“Right, I’m sure you have plans with the girls.” Octavia grabbed a napkin and wrote an address and phone number down. She handed it to Clarke with a smile. “Please come.”

“I’ll think about it.”

And with that Octavia left with a nod. 

Clarke snuggled Atlas closer to her as she watched Nova playing by herself quietly. You would never know that just 2 weeks ago Nova had been in the hospital with pneumonia. The situation had terrified Clarke to no end, and with no family around to help, it resulted in her losing her job, and eventually their apartment. 

An hour later Clarke was walking through Times Square with a small hand in each of her own. The girls were taking in all the Christmas decorations and the snow that was still falling.

“Pwety.” Nova smiled and pointed to a store display that had a Santa in the window. “Santa?”

“Very pretty, Novie.” Her Christmas spirit was almost zero, and if it wasn’t for the girls it wouldn’t exist. Clarke was just glad that the twins were too young to fully understand the idea of Santa and presents.

Atlas let out a cough that got progressively worse as they walked. When Clarke stopped and lowered herself to the child’s level she narrowly missed being thrown up on. 

“Oh, baby.” Clarke wiped Atlas’ face with her sleeve before picking the child up. She trekked through the snowy streets until she passed an open cafe and slipped inside. She ordered a small hot chocolate with extra milk to cool it down for Nova and sat there contemplating where to go next. 

Clarke wasn’t sure how long they had been there before the barista came over and told Clarke they were closing in 10 minutes. Clarke looked at the clock and realized it was nearly 6:00 pm. 

Bundling the kids up she slipped out the doors and into the cold once more. As Atlas continued to cough, Clarke decided to put her pride aside and hailed a cab. 

“Where to?” The driver asked once the trio was situated in the back. Clarke handed him the napkin with the address written on it. 

The drive to the penthouse was silent, except for Atlas’ horrendous cough. When the taxi driver pulled to a stop, Clarke ushered the girls out, handed the man the last of her money, and walked away. 

The doorman held the door open with a huge smile on his face. “Merry Christmas! You look like you could use some warming up.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Clarke smiled. 

“Who are you here to visit?” The doorman asked. Clarke noticed her looked down when Atlas started to cough again. When the little girl stopped the doorman’s face turned to concern. “She’s struggling to breathe a little.”

“I-I know. I just n-need to get her out of the cold. A friend invited me to a-a Christmas party. Octavia B-Blake.” Clarke stuttered out. 

“Ahh yes,” he smiled then led Clarke over to a separate elevator. “Mr.Blake has his own entrance.”

The doorman punched in a code and the door opened. Clarke stepped in with the girls, as the doors closed in front of her she couldn’t help but wonder if she was making a mistake by crashing a family party. 

When the elevators opened and Clarke got the girls off she was standing in a large foyer. There was a spot clearly designed for coats and jackets, and an archway that Clarke assumed led to the main part of the penthouse. 

“Momma?” Nova looked up, her blue eyes filled with curiosity. “Hungry.”

Clarke crouched down and was about to respond to Nova, and tell the child she would feed her soon when Atlas started coughing. 

Atlas looked at her mom before she vomited down the front of herself and Clarke before she started crying. Clarke groaned when Nova started to join in. 

“What are you doing here?”

Clarke turned around at the voice behind her, and saw a man standing in the archway. He was incredibly handsome, but that’s all Clarke would let herself think. 

“I-I’m sorry.” Clarke stuttered. “She’s sick.”

“I see that.”

“Bel?” Clarke recognized Octavia’s voice. “Who’s here?”

Octavia appeared in the archway next to the man. Clarke realized that he must have been Octavia's big brother. The two looked similar standing there together. Octavia, not surprisingly, wore a tight red dress and heels. While her brother wore jeans, a red dress shirt, and a blazer. 

“Oh, Clarke!” Octavia rushed over and picked up Nova, who was still crying. The little girl started to calm down. 

“Bellamy, get me some paper towel and the trash can,” Octavia shouted at her brother. He moved quickly and returned with both items Octavia had asked for. “Thanks.”

Once the mess was cleaned up off the floor Clarke looked down at the front of her dirty hoodie. She slipped it carefully over her head and now stood in nothing but her jeans and white tank top. 

Clarke took off Atlas' coat and turned to get Novas when she realized the pint-size human was gone. 

“Nova?” Clarke looked around worried. The child wasn’t in the foyer and Clarke began to panic. Picking up Atlas, she followed Octavia through the archway that opened up into a large open area. There were a handful of people sitting around laughing and having some drinks, while Christmas music played in the background. 

To her relief, she spotted Nova by the huge Christmas tree near the floor to ceiling windows. She was propped up in Bellamy’s arms and pointing out all the decorations. 

Bellamy turned and flashed Clarke a smile before turning his attention back to Nova and the tree.

“If she’s bothering you let me know,” Clarke said as she approached Bellamy. 

“Oh, she’s totally fine.” Bellamy smiled. “I’m Bellamy Blake, but I’m sure you’ve figured that out.”

“Yeah.” Clarke blushed. “I’m Clarke Griffin, and these are my twin monsters. You’ve got Nova, and Atlas here is the one who made a mess of your floor and my clothes.” 

Bellamy nodded. “Follow me.”

Clarke did as Bellamy asked. He led her up a marbled staircase that was attached to a room that overlooked the entire first floor. When he opened the French doors to the master room Clarke and gasped. In contrast to the rest of the house that was very modern and white, this room was very much all dark, except for the white wood floors. 

“What are we doing here?” Clarke asked. She knew this had to be Bellamy's room. Why were they in here?

“To get you something clean to wear.” Bellamy entered a huge walk-in closet. When he walked back out Clarke couldn’t help but laugh at Nova who was wearing a baseball cap and glasses. 

“For you.” Bellamy held outa change of clothes. “Master bath is to your left. Feel free to shower if you want.”

Clarke thanked Bellamy before sitting Atlas on the bed and disappearing behind the door. She hopped in the shower quickly before throwing on the oversized t-shirt and sweatpants. 

  
  


Walking out of the bathroom Clarke’s heart nearly melted when she saw Bellamy laying on the edge of the bed with his feet propped up. Atlas was under the covers with her eyes closed, and cheeks rosy from the fever she was fighting. Nova was cuddled up next to him, her eyes intently focused on the book he was reading. 

“Hey,” Clarke whispered. “Was Atlas alright?”

Bellamy nodded, closing the book. He picked up Nova and swung his legs over and stood up. “I changed her into one of my shirts, and she passed out in seconds. I didn’t notice a bag when you came in, so she’s still in the same diaper though.”

“Thanks.” Clarke smiled. 

“I’m hungry!” Nova whined. 

Bellamy shifted the little girl in his arms so that her belly was facing the ground. He started making airplane noises and Nova stuck out her arms all the way down the stairs until they crash-landed on the white sofa. 

Nova was in a fit of giggles as she sat up brushing her blond hair away from her face. 

“Let me introduce you to everyone,” Bellamy said. “First, everyone, this is Clarke and Nova.”

There was a chorus of hellos from the small crowd. Clarke smiled and said hi to them all. Nova hid her face in the couch cushions. 

“Murphy is my long time friend, and his wife Emori.” Bellamy motioned to the couple that sat on barstools in the open kitchen. Then he turned his attention to a gorgeous brunette with tanned skin. “This is Raven.”

“I was his assistant.” Raven rolled her eyes. “That is before we became good friends, and didn’t want work to ruin that.”

“Then of course there’s Octavia, and her boyfriend, Lincoln.” Bellamy waved his hand at Octavia who sat on Lincoln's knee in a chair by the window.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you all.” Clarke smiled. “Sorry to crash your party on Christmas Eve of all nights.”

“We’ve got more than enough joy to go around.” Murphy smiled and held up a glass. 

There was a loud crash from a room off to the far right, and Clarke automatically looked down at Nova who was sitting seated on the sofa. 

A little girl came running out of the room and stopped in front of Bellamy. Her dark brown hair was perfectly in place with a red ribbon tied in a bow on top. She was in a white dress with red tights and black Mary Jane shoes. 

“I broke the snow globes.” The little girl cried. She hid her face in Bellamy's pant leg. His hand automatically went to her back, comforting the child. 

“It’s okay, Addy.” Bellamy crouched down. “Did you get hurt?”

The little girl, Addy, shook her head. Then she disappeared back into the room with Bellamy whispering something about things can always be replaced. 

  
  


As the evening went on Clarke mingled with the friends. It was nearly midnight when Clarke sat on the couch next to Nova who had passed out cold an hour ago. 

She heard the goodbyes from Murphy, Emori, and their daughter Adaline. Followed by Raven a few minutes later. 

The penthouse was eerily quiet as Clarke sipped on her drink, watching the twinkling lights on the tree. She looked up she Bellamy walked over to her. 

“Finish your drink, and I’ll take Nova to bed.” Bellamy gently lifted the child and left the room. 

When he was gone Octavia walked over and sat down next to Clarke. 

“I’m glad you came.” Octavia smiled. 

“Honestly, I wasn’t going to.” Clarke met Octavia’s smile with a frown. “But when Atlas started throwing up, and her cough got worse, I knew I couldn’t keep them out in the cold.”

“What do you mean?” Octavia was confused. 

“I lost my job and got evicted a week ago. The girls and I have been staying where we could. I really should get going, though.”

“You will do no such thing.” Clarke and Octavia turned to see Bellamy walking towards them. Octavia excused herself and left the room, taking Lincoln. 

“I didn’t come here to impose on your night. Even though I did.” Clarke looked down at her fidgety hands. “It’s Christmas Eve, and I can’t stay.”

“You have to stay,” Bellamy replied. “If you left here where would you go? Where would you take those little girls?”

Clarke shrugged. She really had no idea where she would take them, she had used the last of her money on the cab ride here. 

“The cold won’t help Atlas any,” Bellamy added. 

“I think she might have pneumonia.” Clarke started to cry. “Nova had it a few weeks ago, that’s why I lost my job. She was in the hospital for almost a week because it was that bad. I took all the time off work.”

“Then you have to stay, you don’t want Atlas getting that bad.” 

Clarke shook her head. “Tomorrow’s Christmas though. You’ll want to spend that with your family.”

“I already did. We do Christmas on Christmas Eve so that everyone can go to their families. Octavia and Lincoln will be leaving in a few hours to catch a red-eye to California to spend Christmas with Lincoln’s family. It’ll be just me here. You’d really be doing  _ me  _ a favor by staying.”

“A-Alright.” Clarke agreed. 

Bellamy walked over to the bar and grabbed two glasses and filled them with spiked eggnog. Then he handed one to Clarke and sat across from her. 

“Tell me about yourself.” Bellamy smiled as he sipped on his drink. 

“Not much to tell,” Clarke shrugged and took a drink. “I grew up here in New York. My mother was a doctor, and my dad was an engineer. He died when I was 8. My mom remarried when I was 15, and then she and her new husband decided to sell everything and move to Europe.”

“They left you here? Alone?” Bellamy was shocked. 

“Well, I was 16 by the time they moved, but yeah.” Clarke shrugged. “I lived with friends until I found a job and got a decent apartment. Got pregnant at 19, and found out it was twins. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do it on my own, but here I am 22 with my twin girls. My perfect girls.”

“Where is their father?” Bellamy asked as he finished the last of his drink. Clarke finished hers too, and Bellamy refilled the glasses and sat back down, this time next to Clarke on the couch. “If that’s too personal, you don’t have to answer.”

“He’s not in the picture, he never really was. I was a stupid teenager, and I slept around more than I’d care to admit. This specific time landed me in the bed of my boss at the time, well he was still my boss up until a few weeks ago, he was having an affair with me.”

“He didn’t want his wife to find out?” Clarke nodded when Bellamy paused. “But you continued to work for him?”

“It was good money, and when I found out it was twins that was more than enough of a reason to stay.” Clarke sighed. “Didn’t stop him from firing me when Nova got sick though.”

“What an asshole,” Bellamy muttered. 

“I’d like to say that the girls are better off without him in their lives, but the truth is they aren’t better off.” Clarke let a tear slip as she thought about her daughter’s future and what that looked like. 

Bellamy lifted Clarke’s chin up so she was looking at him. Her blue eyes filled with water, reminding him of the ocean. “They are better off without him. He sounds like a man that would never be able or willing to put them first. They need a father that will love them and show them how to be loved.” 

“I don’t want this life for them. Sleeping in a different bed every night, or hell, the streets.” Clarke sobbed. Bellamy pulled her into his arms and she let her head rest on his chest. 

“You know what,” Bellamy whispered. “You’re more than welcome to stay here for as long as it takes for you to get back on your feet. After the new year, you can start looking for a job and then apartment hunt.”

Clarke pulled back and looked Bellamy in the eyes. This was the best offer she had in a while. She was waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for Bellamy to add more to the offer. Did he want something in return? He seemed completely sincere in his offer, and with a simple nod, Clarke accepted everything he put out there. 

After they both finished off their drinks Clarke wandered up the stairs into Bellamy’s room. She smiled down at the girls who slept cuddled up next to each other. Before slipping into bed with them, Clarke took off the sweatpants she was wearing and tossed them over a chair. She got into bed and Atlas shifted closer, and Clarke could feel the heat coming off the tiny body. 

Clarke made a mental note to get some medicine in the morning. Then, for the first time in weeks, Clarke let herself drift off into a peaceful sleep. She didn’t have to worry about where she would have to go when they woke up. She didn’t have to worry about how she’d feed the girls. It was a sense of peace she wishes she could always hold on to. 

The next morning Clarke woke up to the sun peeking through the curtains. She swung her legs over the slide of the bed, her bare feet hitting the cold floor, and walked over to the window and pulled open the curtains. The snow had stopped and now covered the city in a white blanket. The view from up here was breathtakingly gorgeous. 

Turning back to the girls, who were still sleeping, Clarke decided to take a quick shower. When she walked back into the room both Atlas and Nova were sitting up in the bed, their hair wild from sleep. 

“Morning ladies,” Clarke smiled. She gave the girls each a kiss before slipping into Bellamy’s massive closet. She tossed on a clean T-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts before walking back into the room. 

“Momma!” Nova grinned as she stood up. The little girl started bouncing on the bed, excited to start her day. 

There was a quiet knock on the door before it slowly opened. Bellamy stood there with a smile. “Am I interrupting? I hear the shower turn on, and then off.”

“No, we’re just getting ready to start our day.” Clarke blushed. “I borrowed some clean clothes, I hope you don’t mind.”

Bellamy walked over to the bed and sat a brown paper bag at the foot of it. Nova laughed and jumped from the bed straight into Bellamy’s arms. 

“Nova!” Clarke yelled. “Be careful!”

“Sorry, momma!” Nova grinned. “Santa come?”

“No, baby.” Clarke frowned, then looked at Bellamy. “What’s in the bag?”

“A thermometer, Tylenol, diapers, wipes, and an outfit for each girl that actually fits. Hopefully.” Bellamy smiled. “I guessed their size so we’ll see how good I am at that.”

Clarke smiled at the thoughtfulness of Bellamy’s gesture. It had been a while since somebody actually thought about what she needed. 

“Want help with changing them? Takes half the time if we both do it, and then we can enjoy breakfast. I’m making pancakes.” Bellamy gently tossed Nova on the bed causing the little girl to burst out in a fit of giggles. Atlas smiled from her spot on the bed. 

“Do you know how to change a diaper?” Clarke asked. 

When Bellamy nodded she pulled out the diapers and tossed him one. In no time both girls were freshly changed. Bellamy reached over and pulled a deep red romper and matching bow from the bag and proceeded to dress Nova. It caught Clarke off guard for a second, at how natural this all was. 

Snapping herself out of her thoughts, Clarke pulled the same romper and bow out of the bag, except in a cream color. That was going to get dirty and fast, but she figured Bellamy wasn’t the type to care about that kinda stuff. 

“These are some high-end baby clothes,” Clarke noted looking at the label.

Bellamy just shrugged. “A friend of Octavia’s owns the boutique, and agreed to let me in last night.” 

“You didn’t have to do that.” Clarke smiled, “but thank you. The girls look absolutely adorable in these, and they fit perfectly.”

Bellamy lifted Nova off the bed and put her on the floor. Her bare feet hit the ground running. He watched as Clarke took Atlas’ temperature, a frowning forming on her pretty little face. 

“Everything okay?” Bellamy asked worriedly. 

Clarke nodded. “She still has a fever, but it’s not dangerously high. A little Tylenol should bring it down.”

After Clarke measured the appropriate amount of medicine and gave it to the toddler, she picked the girl up and followed Bellamy and Nova down the stairs. 

The sun was shining through the door to ceiling windows, but that didn’t take away from the Christmas magic at all. Clarke’s jaw dropped when she looked over at the tree. It was surrounded by neatly wrapped presents of various sizes. 

“Wow,” Clarke laughed. “From your fan club?”

Bellamy smiled back. “Hardly, those are for the girls. And you.”

Clarke’s attention went from the tree to the man standing in front of her. He walked over to the couch and sat Nova down. 

“What?”

“It’s for you.” Bellamy grinned. He almost looked like he was a child on Christmas morning and not the twins. “I told you I went to Octavias friend's shop. I did a little shopping.”

“A little?” Clarke’s jaw nearly hit the floor. There was nothing  _ little  _ about what was around the tree. 

“Look,” Bellamy took Clarke’s hand. “This could be the first Christmas that they would actually remember. Besides, I selfishly wanted them to experience the magic so that I could too.”

“Well thank you. You didn’t have to do any of this, but it means a lot to me. I’m sure it means a lot to them too.”

It didn’t take long for wrapping paper to start flying around the room. Bellamy sat crossed-legged on the floor and had Atlas sitting in his lap as they opened presents together. 

Clarke grabbed Bellamy’s phone off the coffee table and snapped a few photos of the two. Then she turned her attention to Nova who was sitting on the rocking horse that she had just opened. Clarke got a few photos of her before tucking the phone away. 

“This one is for you.” Bellamy pulled a present out and handed it to Clarke. “I wasn’t sure what you’d want, so I’m sorry I didn’t get you much.”

“Bellamy, you didn’t have to get me anything at all.” Clarke took the present and slowly began to unwrap the shiny gold and red paper. Inside was a gold necklace with two connecting hearts. “Atlas” was written on one and “Nova” on the other. “Oh, Bellamy!”

“You’re welcome.” Bellamy smiled. 

Clarke got down on her knees and wrapped her arms around Bellamy from the side. When she pulled back, she was inches from his face. 

“There’s more.” He whispered. “I didn’t wrap it, but there’s a bag of clothes up in the loft. I was going to tell you sooner, but I’ve been enjoying the view.”

“You’ve done more than you possibly should have.” Clarke caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “Why are you so perfect?”

“I could ask the same question,” Bellamy smirked. “Now, I think we should go make breakfast. Before I try to kiss you.”

Clarke nodded. “Good idea.”

-

Pancakes that looked like Santa Claus was not something Clarke expected Bellamy to start making. But when he sat down the little plastic plates in front of the girls and their faces lit up, Clarke knew that he’d make an amazing father someday. Just not to her girls. 

“Santa!” Nova giggled and clapped. She ate everything on her plate, and then some. Atlas on the other hardly ate anything. She picked at the strawberries that made up Santa’s hat, but that was about it. 

“You gotta eat, Atlas,” Clarke begged. “Please.”

“I can run to the store and grab some Pedialyte.” Bellamy offered. “That will at least keep her hydrated.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Of course I don’t mind.” Bellamy smiled. “Want me to take Nova?”

“Only if you want,” Clarke replied. 

Bellamy reached over the counter and picked Nova up off the barstool she had been perched on. Then with a quick goodbye, they disappeared. 

-

Bellamy held on tightly to Nova's hand as they walked down the snowy sidewalk to the closest corner store. He was afraid the child would bolt into the busy street if he dared let go, but she seemed content to be with him. 

“Oh, your daughter is so cute!” An elderly woman cooed as they walked by. “I remember when my kids were that small. Hold on to it while you can, you blink and she’ll be married with kids of her own.”

“Thanks.” Bellamy smiled, he didn’t bother to correct the woman. 

After making his way to the store and grabbing what he needed for Atlas, and caving when Nova begged for a treat, Bellamy headed back to his house. When he walked off the elevator, the smell of cookies baking in the oven could be smelt. 

Nova ran ahead of him and pulled herself up on the barstool next to Atlas. He smiled at the three girls in his kitchen, and for the first time ever he wanted a family. He wanted to come home every day to a wife and children. The penthouse felt more like a home with Clarke and the girls here, than it ever had before. 

“Hey.” Clarke looked up and smiled. “Hope you don’t mind, but I thought Christmas cookies would be fun to make.”

“I don’t mind at all. Smells delicious in here, that for sure.” Bellamy placed a kiss on top of each toddler's head before placing the paper bag he carried at the end of the counter. 

“Was Nova good?” Clarke asked. 

“Perfect little Angel.” Bellamy grinned. He proceeded to take the Pedialyte out of the bag, and walked over to the cupboard, and pulled out a silly cup. After he handed the cup to Atlas, he realized Clarke was staring at him. “What?”

“You’ve thought of everything,” Clarke noted. “How are you so perfect?”

Bellamy shrugged. “I’m sure I forgot something.”

The rest of Christmas Day was spent together. Clarke has to remind herself that they weren’t a family, but for today, and today only, she allowed herself to get excited about family things. They ate cookies by the propane fireplace, then took a nice walk in Central Park. Bellamy ended up carrying Atlas the whole time, but he didn’t seem bothered by it. 

There was a moment when Bellamy was told by a stranger how adorable his girls were, and to Clarke’s surprise he just thanks the woman. He was the perfect man to be raising these girls, but after New Years’ he had his own life to get back to. A life that didn’t include a ready-made family. 

By the time they got back from their walk, it was nearly supper time, and Clarke was starving. Bellamy ordered Chinese food and had it delivered. He apologized countless times for it not being a Christmas dinner, but Clarke couldn’t have cared less.

A couple of hours later everyone was fed, the mess was cleaned up, and the girls were bathed. 

“Do you want to watch a movie before bed?” Clarke asked as she sat on the king-size bed brushing through Atlas’ brown curls. “I figured we can hang out here until the girls fall asleep.”

“Sure,” Bellamy smiled. “Sounds like the perfect end to the day.”

Bellamy finished zipping up the sleeper that Nova was wearing and reached over to grab the other brush. Then, as if it was second nature to him, began brushing Nova's hair and braiding it into two pigtails. 

“Good looking, thoughtful, and can do little girls hair.” Clarke grinned. “How did I end up on your doorstep?”

“Luck?” Bellamy smirked. “Lucky for me that you knew Octavia. You know, this has been one of the best Christmases I’ve had since I was a kid.”

“Really?” 

Bellamy nodded. “I think I’ve realized what I’ve been missing. A family.”

Clarke blushed. “We’ll be out of your hair soon enough. Then you can start looking for Mrs.Right.”

Bellamy’s hand slowly cupped Clarke’s cheek. “I think I’ve already found her.”

Wide-eyed Clarke looked at Bellamy not sure what to say. Did those words really come out of his mouth? When Bellamy’s hand fell away from her cheek, Clarke let herself make eye contact. 

“What movie do you want to watch?” He asked. 

“The grinch?” 

Bellamy grabbed the remote out of the nightstand drawer and found the grinch on Netflix. He helped Clarke settle the girls in the middle of the bed with them on either side. It didn’t take long at all for the girls to fall asleep, and when he looked back again Clarke was sleeping too. 

Turning off the TV Bellamy tried to slip from the bed quietly, but a hand reached out and grabbed his arm. 

“Stay,” Clarke whispered. 

Silently Bellamy nodded and laid back down. It took him longer than usual to fall asleep, but when he did it felt right. Everything about this situation felt right. 

-

The days all blurred together as Bellamy and Clarke spent the days after Christmas together. There wasn't a moment they spent apart, and that included the nighttime routine of getting the girls to sleep. Once the girls were asleep they'd have a few drinks before headed off to bed themselves. Most of the time they crashed in the bed with Nova and Atlas. 

Every morning they would wake up tangled with the girls between them. This morning Clarke managed to untangle herself from the mess and hop in the shower before the girls, or Bellamy woke up. 

Clarke walked out of the bathroom twenty minutes later wrapped in a towel. Her eyes landed on the bed where Nova slept alone, her blonde curls spread out across the pillow. Her cheeks were rosy from sleep. 

Voices trailed into the room from downstairs, and Clarke recognized Bellamy’s. There was another voice, female, that Clarke couldn’t place. When she walked out into the loft she looked over and could see Bellamy standing there, with Atlas securely in his arms, as he talked to some blonde woman. 

“I don’t think it’s a good time, Harper.” Bellamy shrugged. “Things have been different this year.”

Harper glanced at Atlas. “I’d say things have changed. Why didn’t you tell me you had a kid.”

“First off, I don’t have to tell you everything, Harper. Second…” Bellamy trailed off when he noticed Clarke walking down the stairs towards them. His jaw dropped at the fact that she was nearly naked, and didn’t seem to care. 

“Let me take Atlas,” Clarke put her hands out for the toddler. “I’m going to give her a bath.”

  
  


“We bathed her last night.” Bellamy was confused, but he handed Atlas off to Clarke. “This is Harper, my personal assistant.”

“Oh,” Clarke whispered. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Harper extended her right hand, but slowly let it fall back to her side when she realized that Clarke had her handful with Atlas and keeping the towel on. “I was supposed to be here getting things ready for the New Years Eve party tonight, but Bellamy seems to have changed his mind.”

“I just don’t think having a bunch of people here is good for the girls,” Bellamy replied. “Atlas is finally over being sick, and quite frankly it gets loud and crazy here.”

“Don’t cancel your party on my account.” Clarke frowned. “The girls and I can hole up in your room for the night, or hell, I can take them out for a while.”

“You will do no such thing,” Bellamy growled. “If, and only if I have the party you will be here at my side. The girls included.”

“Okay, so the party is back on.” Harper grinned. “Basically, right?”

Clarke nodded. “Look, you two plan what you need. I’m going to get some clothes on.”

Bellamy reached over and took Atlas from Clarke muttering something about her not needing a bath. Then Clarke disappeared up the stairs and into his room. 

“She’s pretty.” Harper smiled. “You need a girl like her.”

“I’m faking for her, Harper. I honestly never thought I’d fall in love, but I have. Three times in the last week.”

“Being a parent is a huge responsibility.” Harper reached out and ran her hand down Atlas’s brown curls. “It’s also very rewarding.”

“I’ve spent a week with twin girls, and it feels like they have been in my life forever.” Bellamy sighed. “I can’t imagine Clarke ever leaving.”

“I get it.” Harper switched the subject back to the party quickly. “Now, I’m going to get the decorator here and call the caterer to make sure everything will run smoothly tonight. Is there anything else you need to do?”

Bellamy shook his head. 

“Perfect.” Harper grabbed her notebook off the counter. “Why don’t you and Clarke take the children for breakfast then a sleigh ride through Central Park, and maybe get some hot chocolate. By the time you get back, everything will be set up and ready for guests to arrive.”

“Deal.” Bellamy grinned like a little kid. 

An hour later he was outside the building with Clarke and the girls. They went for breakfast in a small cafe, and then spent a good amount of time in Central Park. Bellamy realized quickly that hot chocolate and toddlers weren’t a good mix when Nova spilled the Lukewarm liquid down the front of her soaking her jacket. 

“Uh oh.” Atlas giggled. “Nova made a mess.”

When Nova started crying, Bellamy scooped the toddler up and comforted her with ease. “Messes are alright, Novie.”

By the time they got back to the penthouse, it was nearly 6:00 pm, and Clarke knew that the guests were scheduled to start arriving. 

“You don’t have to stay here.” Clarke turned back to Bellamy who was sitting on the bed with a girl on each leg. “You have guests to greet.”

“I can be fashionably late.” Bellamy laughed. “Even if this is my own house. You look stunning by the way.”

Clarke turned around to full-face Bellamy. She wore a tight black dress that stopped mid-thigh. Her gold heels made her a few inches taller than she normally was. “You like it because you bought it.”

“I’d like you in a paper bag if that’s all you had.”

“A paper bag princess.” Clarke rolled her eyes and turned her focus back to the mirror. “Thank god you’re no prince Ronald.”

“You see how beautiful your momma is, ladies.” Bellamy placed a kiss on each girl's head, careful of the perfectly placed bows they wore. “You’re beautiful too.”

“Go greet your guests,” Clarke yelled, a hint of humor in her voice. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

Bellamy stood up and shifted the girls so they were securely in each arm. He whispered something about women and always being late to the girls as he left the room. 

Downstairs the place was already filled with music and people. Caterers walked around with plates of appetizers and champagne flutes. Nova wiggled free from his arms and ran over to the tiny table Harper had set up with crayons and paper.

Atlas clung to his blazer when he tried to put her down, so he held her tightly as he navigated the crowd. Bellamy made small talk with friends, co-workers, and employees, all while waiting for Clarke to come down. 

“Hey!” Bellamy looked over and saw Roan Azgeda making his way through the small crowd. “Since when did you have a kid?”

Roan ran a small media company that Bellamy owned a portion of. He didn’t really care for the man much but tolerated him on the rare occasions that they saw each other.

“Her name is Atlas.” Bellamy smiled at the toddler. Roan eyed the toddler, which made Bellamy uncomfortable. “You have any yet?”

“Nah,” Roan laughed, “kids are a complete waste of space. Not to mention time and money.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing out on.” Bellamy planted a quick kiss on Atlas’s cheek causing the little girl to giggle. “Maybe someday you’ll change your mind.”

“I doubt it,” Roan said shrugged. “I wouldn’t abandon a kid if it happened, but I’d hire one hell of a nanny. I bet you got one of those around here, huh.”

“A nanny would be a waste of money.” Bellamy threw back. He was about to continue when he felt Atlas being taken out of his arms. In a blur, he saw Clarke headed to the door with Atlas in her arms, and Nova’s hand firmly in her own. 

What the hell. 

-

Clarke grabbed Atlas out of Bellamy’s arms so quickly she was surprised the child didn’t land on the floor. Without a second of hesitation, she headed to the foyer holding on tightly to Atlas’ small body and making sure she didn’t let go of Nova’s hand. 

“Momma?” Atlas whined when Clarke sat her down in front of the coat closet. She shuffled through all the guest’s coats trying to find the little black pea coats she knew Bellamy kept in here for when they went on walks. 

“Damnit!” Tears streamed down her face now. Forgetting the coats, Clarke grabbed the girl’s hands and headed towards the stairs. She couldn’t stand the thought of being on the elevator, waiting, watching as the numbers slowly went down until they hit the first floor. 

“Clarke?” She swung around at the sound of her voice. Bellamy stood there with a puzzled look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t be here, Bel,” Clarke screamed. “The girls and I have to go.”

“Why?” 

“Because I-“ Roan and his wife Echo walked into the foyer. “I can’t.”

“Clarke don’t do this,” Bellamy begged. “Don’t take the girls.”

“Say goodbye to daddy.” Clarke spat out. The words are harsher than she intended. 

Clarke turned towards the stairwell door when Atlas’ hand slipped from hers. The toddler ran straight to Bellamy and into his arms, and without hesitation, he picked her up. 

“Waste of space.” Roan snorted out. 

“Excuse me?” Clarke’s tone changed drastically. “A waste of space? What the hell has Atlas and Nova done, besides being born, to inconvenience you, Roan.” 

“That’s the problem.” Roan spat out. “You gave birth to them.” 

“What the hell is going on here?” Bellamy asked puzzled. He was getting the impression that Clarke knew Roan, and that made him uneasy. “You two know each other.”

“Roan was my boss.” Clarke looked from Bellamy to Roan, and then let her gaze settle on Echo for a moment before finding her way back to Bellamy. “I worked for Azgeda media before being fired.”

“I knew you looked familiar,” Echo whispered. 

“Wait,” Bellamy’s eyes went wide as he started putting the pieces together. “That makes Roan—“

Bellamy was cut off when Raven walked into the room. She glanced around at the four adults, who clearly looked like they were in the middle of something. “Uh, sorry to interrupt.”

“Actually, Ray, can you take the girls for me?” Bellamy smiled. 

Raven nodded and reached for Atlas. Once the toddler was settled in her arms, she reached out and took Nova’s hand.

Once they were gone, Bellamy turned his attention back to everyone.

“Roan is the twins...sperm donor.” Clarke shivered. She couldn’t even bring herself to use his name and father in the same sentence. Because he wasn’t their father, and he would never be their father. 

“What?” Echo nearly shouted. “You slept with your secretary?”

“That’s a damn lie,” Roan yelled. “I’ve never laid a hand on another woman. I’m not like that, you know me Echo.”

“Actually, I don’t think I know you. At least not entirely. Tell me the truth, are you the father of those little girls?”

“Yeah.” Roan groaned out. 

“I’ve gotta go.” Echo walked to the closet and shuffled through until she found her coat. She slipped it on. “You’ve known, for at least 2 years, that you were a father. Hell, Clarke was your secretary up until a few weeks ago, and you never once acknowledged them.”

“I didn’t want to hurt you, Echo.” Roan pleaded as the elevator doors opened. 

“You hurt me regardless of when I found out, but you hurt your own daughters more. I hope Bellamy raises those girls to be the best they can be. Let him take the credit for what they become.” Then the elevator doors closed, and Echo was gone. 

“Damnit.” Roan hissed. “You did this, Clarke. Are you happy?”

“I didn’t do a damn thing, Roan.” Clarke shrugged. “I wasn’t the one who was married.”

“Roan, I think it’s best that you leave.” Bellamy gestured to the elevator. “My lawyer will be in contact with you regarding the children. “

Roan huffed. “I don’t want anything to do with them.”

“Good, that makes this a lot easier. We can settle out of court.”

Roan nodded and walked over to the stairwell door. He pushed it open slowly, and before it closed behind him Bellamy shouted out. “You’re fired, I hope you know that.” Then the door closed with a soft click leaving Bellamy and Clarke alone. 

“I’m an idiot.” Clarke frowned. A tear slipped down her cheek and Bellamy pulled her into his arms. “It wasn’t all his fault, I knew he was married and I didn’t say a damn word to his wife. I let the affair go on for weeks until I got myself pregnant.”

“First off, you are the furthest thing from an idiot. Secondly, yeah sure you maybe shouldn’t have slept with a married man but that’s not all on you.”

“I’m sorry your night is ruined.” Clarke pulled back. “My first instinct when I saw him, so close to Atlas, was to run.”

“You scared me. I thought I was going to lose you and the girls forever, and that killed me.” Bellamy cupped Clarke’s face in his hands. “Because I love you, and I don’t want to lose you.”

“I love you too, Bellamy Blake.” Clarke smiled. 

“Then what do you say we make it official...I was going to wait until midnight, but... by” Bellamy pulled away from Clarke and got down on one knee. He pulled a black velvet box from his blazer pocket and opened it to reveal a beautiful ring. “Marry me, Clarke Griffin? Let me be your wife, the father to those beautiful little girls that I already love so much. We can grow our family even more if you want.”

Clarke gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. “I-I don’t know what to say.”

“Yea would be a wonderful start.” Bellamy grinned like a child. “Only if you want to marry me.”

“Yes!” Clarke shouted. “A hundred times yes, I’ll marry. I couldn’t think of a more perfect man to be with. To raise Atlas and Nova with. So yes, I will marry you.” 

Bellamy stood up and pulled Clarke to him. Their lips met, and everything in the world was perfect at that moment. When he pulled back slightly she smiled at him, and then laughed as he proceeded to spin her in circles. 

“Shall we go tell the guests?” Bellamy asked. When Clarke nodded he took her hand and led her back into the main part of the house. Everyone was standing around talking, drinking, and having a good time. Oblivious to all of the drama that had just taken place feet away in the foyer. 

“Hey!” Raven smiled and walked over. “Everything okay?” 

Clarke nodded as she held up her hand to show Raven the ring. 

“Well, hell. Congratulations you two.” Raven smiled. “I’m not even surprised though. Christmas Eve, I knew you two would end up together at some point.”

“Hey Everyone!” Bellamy shouted. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Bellamy. “I just want to introduce you to my fiancé Clarke. She actually said yes to marrying me.”

The crowd erupted in laughs. 

“And those two beautiful girls that are smearing chocolate all over my white couch, those are my daughters.” Bellamy smiled with pride. 

Atlas and Nova looked up at Bellamy. They had somehow gotten into the chocolate fountain and were spreading the mess everywhere, but for once in his life, the mess didn’t bother him. His daughter made that, and he loved them too much to care. 

“What’s going on?”

Bellamy turned to see Octavia and Lincoln standing in the archway holding a bag full of presents. 

“Clarke and I are getting married, and your nieces are smearing chocolate on the white couch.” Bellamy laughed.

“Congratulations!” Octavia shrieked in excitement. “I’ve always wanted a sister. You’re going to make my brother happy.”

“I hope so.” Clarke smiled.

“She has already made me beyond happy.” Bellamy leaned over and gave Clarke a kiss then whispered in her ear. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Clarke whispered back. 

**Author's Note:**

> Been slowly writing this over the last couple of weeks. Hope you liked this cute little one-shot... thinking about writing a part 2, where it's a year later. If I can whip that up before Christmas who would wanna read?
> 
> Huge shoutout to my bestie, who so kindly put up with me sending her bits and pieces...but never the full things until this afternoon.


End file.
